Page 90 of A Little Complicated

Ophelia pushes herself onto her knees and crawls through the middle of the circle toward me and Archer. The sight makes my cock stir, surprising the shit out of me, and my heart thumps faster and faster. Who’s she gonna pick? And why am I delusional enough to think I’m even on her radar?

I’ve been an ass to her since we were little. In the beginning, it was because I was a dick, but as we got older, it almost became a game. I wanted to see how many buttons I could push until she snapped. She’d keep her composure in check until she couldn’t take it anymore and would explode. Then I backed off, and we started all over again. After all these years, she’s slowly become less of a hothead and takes each and every jab without a second thought. It’s only made me want to push her more.

To crawl under her skin the same way she’s crawling toward me right now.

Pretty. Innocent. Ophelia.

She’s looking like a fucking snack when I have no right to see her like this. Like anything other than my brother’s best friend and my parents’ friends’ daughter.

When she reaches my brother and me, Opie hesitates, her eyes holding mine for an extra second. Her lips part, and she turns to Archer, giving him her full attention. I feel Archer’s muscles tense when he realizes she’s picked him.

Fuck, mine do too.

I shouldn’t be surprised—and I’m not—but…

With a smile, she murmurs, “Hello, friend.”

“Hey, Lia,” Archer replies.

He stretches his legs out, making room for the girl in front of him. She scoots closer, sandwiching herself between us. She faces Archer fully until all I see is the back of her head and my brother’s grin over her shoulder. The scent of her shampoo hits my nostrils, and I breathe her in, shifting a few inches back so she has room to fulfill her dare. Her fingers grab my brother’s chin as she leans closer. Slowly. Cautiously. My stomach twists with jealousy. Every disappearing inch between their mouths only fans my confusion at the foreign feeling. At the last second, she forces his head to the side and kisses his cheek.

Laughter, groans of disappointment, and smartass ribbing echo throughout the backyard as Ophelia lets Archer’s chin go.

She slides back onto her haunches and looks around the group. “I believe the commissioner only stated a kiss. She never specifiedwhere.” She sits on her ass, making herself comfortable between me and my brother, and when her thigh brushes against my knee, I stare at the contact, surprised she doesn’t pull away. Neither do I. Instead, I relax my leg even more, giving the innocent touch more pressure. More presence.

Staying where she is, Ophelia leans back on her hands and turns to Dylan. “Truth or dare?”

The rest of the night goes by in a blur. By midnight, Griffin and Dylan disappear into the house, retrieving blankets and pillows for everyone. Another hour or two later, the laughter turns to hushed whispers, and before we know it, everyone is fast asleep in the backyard.

Everyone but me.

I rest my hands behind my head on the rooftop, looking up at the expanse of stars in the sky. It’s dark but bright too. There are so many stars. So many planets and solar systems. Worlds among worlds. A soft rustle grabs my attention, and I turn toward it. Opie’s tiptoeing on the roof, careful not to wake anyone below us on the lawn, as she makes her way toward me wrapped in a flannel blanket. When she catches me staring, she freezes.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“Sh!” She places her finger against her lips.

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from grinning but stay quiet. Satisfied with my silence, she starts moving again. Once she reaches me, she spreads the blanket on the cool gray shingles, plops down beside me, leans back on her elbows, and looks at the sky. I don’t follow her line of sight. I’m too busy staring at the girl beside me.

Amusement toys at the edge of her lips. “So, a threesome, huh?”

I chuckle under my breath, sitting up and resting my elbows on my knees. “Guess so.”

“Why am I not surprised?”

“Is that why you kissed Archer instead of me?” I ask.

Her caramel eyes shift from the sky to meet my gaze. “Technically, I think I still owe you.”

My brow arches.

“You know, since the Buchanan twins are a package deal and all,” she explains. “Then again, I know how much you hate being compared to your brother, so…” Her attention falls to my lips, her tongue darting out to moisten hers.

This is a bad idea.

During the game is one thing. It can be written off as peer pressure and shit. But finding me afterward? Looking at me like this? Like little Ophelia Taylor wants to kiss me? It’s a bad idea. A stupid idea. But I’ve never been known as the smart brother.

“What do you say, Mav?” She tears her attention from my lips and pins me with her stare. “Are you a package deal for the evening?”

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